By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
From Greek mythology to modern horror and fantasy, literature is full of fantastic beasts and terrifying monsters. What makes a great fictional monster? Terror, unpredictability, and perhaps an unsettling commingling of the familiar with the unfamiliar? These qualities can all help to create a truly scary monster which haunts our dreams, even though we know it doesn’t actually exist. Here are ten of our favourite horrifying monsters from the world of classic fiction, myth, and epic poetry. Thankfully, none of these monsters have ever existed. Phew!